It’s easy to see why the Jacksonville Jaguars are currently 0-2. They’re a young team with a head coach making his NFL debut. Also, they will have to live with the highs and lows of quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s rookie campaign.
There’s no doubt the Jaguars’ brass made took several important steps in the offseason in order to turn things around. But one year is not enough. The case could be made other teams have had success right away but every situation is different. In the Jags’ case, head coach Urban Meyer has been tasked to turn things around after years of futility. That won’t happen overnight.
It’s also worth noting that players who were supposed to have a big role in 2021 haven’t played up to expectations. The season is still early and there’s a chance they turn things around but the early results haven’t been encouraging.
Jacksonville Jaguars player who has disappointed No. 1 – Walker Little
Instead of addressing the left tackle position in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, the Jaguars waited until the second round to take Walker Little with the 45th overall selection. The coaching staff praised the former Stanford Cardinal during the offseason, and it seemed as if he was poised to play a meaningful role early in the season. However, he’s been inactive in the first two games and was placed on the COVID-19 /Reserve list earlier this week.
Incumbent left tackle Cam Robinson is currently playing well, so it’s unlikely Walker will take his place anytime soon. In fact, it doesn’t look like the Texas native will see the field soon. Keep in mind that he last appeared in a meaningful football game back in 2019, so he might need more time to accustom to the NFL.
Jacksonville Jaguars player who has disappointed No. 2 – Tyson Campbell
There are different ways to look at cornerback Tyson Campbell through the first two games of the season. On one hand, he’s played the second-most snaps among Jaguars’ rookies, only behind quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Having said that, he’s seen the field out of necessity. Jacksonville traded Sidney Jones to the Seattle Seahawks before the regular season started and Tre Herndon is nursing an MCL injury.
If Herndon were healthy, Cambell’s playing time would be considerably lower. In Week 1, the Georgia product gave up five receptions and one touchdown on five targets. He performed a bit better in Week 2, allowing a more manageable four catches on seven targets. Nevertheless, more should be expected from the 33rd overall pick in the 2021 draft. Especially when you take into account that fellow rookie cornerbacks Patrick Surtain Jr., Asante Samuel Jr., and Jaycee Horn are thriving early on.
Having said that, it’s been only two games. It’s uncertain whether Herndon will be able to go in Week 3. If he isn’t, Campbell will once again be called upon. The Arizona Cardinals’ passing game is one of the best of the NFL and it will be interesting to see how the rookie cornerback performs. Having a good game would go a long way towards boosting his confidence.
Jacksonville Jaguars player who has disappointed No. 3 – K’Lavon Chaisson
The Jaguars have been doing a good job of pressuring opposing quarterbacks. This doesn’t come as a surprise when you take into account that the team’s brass made several additions to the defensive front in free agency and the draft.
The fact that outside linebacker Josh Allen is fully healthy after suffering a knee injury last season also gave the front seven a boost. Roy Robertson-Harris, Jihad Ward, and Malcom Brown have gotten plenty of snaps. In fact, Ward’s seven pressures rank second in the team, only behind Dawuane Smoot’s eight.
So far, the Jaguars’ defense has generated four sacks and 45 total pressures. For context, they only had 18 sacks last year. At this pace, there’s a good chance they will double that amount in 2021. On the other hand, the Jags’ haven’t gotten much from outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson.
The 20th overall pick in the 2020 draft has racked up a measly two pressures and five total tackles. Much was made about the fact that he was going to now rush the passer from a two-point stance after playing with his hand on the ground last season. So far, the switch has paid no dividends. Maybe he can get hot as the season progresses but there’s no doubt the Jaguars expected more from the former LSU Tiger.
Jacksonville Jaguars player who has disappointed No. 4 – Laviska Shenault
Last but not least is wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr., who was projected to have a breakout season in 2021. The former Buffalo had a serviceable game in Week 1, hauling seven receptions for 50 yards. However, he had a game to forget against the Denver Broncos, catching two passes for -3 yards. To add insult to injury, he was credited with two drops.
Looking back, Shenault would have been better off not playing in Week 2. How often do you see a player finishing a game with fewer yards than when they entered the game? Now, Viska isn’t the only one that deserves blame for his lackluster performance. After all, the coaching staff insists on designing players where he gets the ball near the line of scrimmage and he needs to create yards on his own.
Also, quarterback Trevor Lawrence wasn’t very accurate against the Broncos. On the bright side, Shenault should be able to turn things around this season. He is still the same talented player he has been. Furthermore, he’s been able to stay healthy, which wasn’t the case last season. Moving forward, the coaching staff has to find more creative ways to get the 2020 second-round pick the ball.